Summary created by Smart Answers AI
In summary:
- Macworld reports that Apple’s cancelled Car project unexpectedly accelerated the company’s AI hardware development, leading to enhanced M7 chips expected in late 2027-2028.
- Apple plans to skip M6 Pro/Max variants to fast-track the M7 series, which will feature significantly improved on-device AI processing capabilities.
- The Neural Engine technology, originally developed for the car project, now forms the foundation of Apple’s AI strategy emphasizing speed, privacy, and offline functionality.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman previously reported in June that while Apple plans to release the M6 chip in the entry-level MacBook Pro this fall, it’s going to skip the Pro and Max versions to focus on getting the M7 series out quicker. In the most recent edition of the Power On newsletter, Gurman expands on his report, adding that the M7 should arrive in the first half of 2027, followed by the M7 Pro and M7 Max at the end of 2027 and an M7 Ultra in 2028.
The reason for the change: AI, of course. But there’s a surprising twist: It all goes back to the failed Apple Car project.
In his June report, Gurman reported that the M7 will feature enhancements to the on-device AI processing capabilities. In his new report, Gurman details that Apple is able to move so adeptly with its AI hardware development because of the Apple Car project. In its attempts to build a self-driving car, Apple created components to handle the vehicle’s AI processing. While the Apple Car project died, those AI components became the foundation for Apple’s AI hardware.
“Without that push,” Gurman reported, “Apple would probably be even further behind in AI than it is today.”
The most recognizable development as a result of the Apple Car development is the Neural Engine in Apple silicon. It was introduced in the A11 Bionic chips used in the iPhone X in 2017–back then, Apple preferred the term “machine learning” instead of AI, but it’s all the same. The Neural Engine has since become a key part of Apple’s A-, S-, and M-series chips.
With the dominance of AI in tech, the Neural Engine is now the focal point of Apple’s chip development–it’s the key to Apple’s ability to perform on-device AI processing, a feature Apple believes is a differentiator between itself and its competitors. Compared to the cloud processing needed by other AI services, on-device AI processing offers faster performance, better security and privacy, and offline functionality.
